Transfer crane locking and safety device



.Oct. 4, 1932. H. F. MARTIN TRANSFER CRANE LOCKING AND SAFETY DEVICE Filed July 7, 1950 5 Sheets$heet l INVENTO ATTORNEY Oct. 4, 1932. -rm 1,881,087

TRANSFER CRANE LOCKING AND SAFETY DEVICE I Filed July 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOR Y I Oct. 4, 1932. R-km 1,881,087

TRANSFER CRANE LOCKING AND SAFETY DEVICE Filed July 7, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORN V Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES FATENT @FFEQE HENRY F. MARTIN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DETROIT HOIST AND MACHINE (70., OF DETROET, IVIICH'IGAN TRANSFER CRANE LOCKING AND SAFETY DEVICE Application filed July '7, 1930. Serial No. 465,971.

My invention relates to improvements in looking and safety devices for use with transfer types of travelling cranes in conjunction with monorail tracks; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to provide a locking and safety device that can be operated manually or electrically; second, to provide a device for preventing a trolley hoist from moving ed a crane beam when the crane is in a travelling position; third, to provide a device for looking a movable crane in alignment with a stationary rail member so as to permit a trolley to pass, without obstruction, from the crane to the rail member or from the rail member to the crane; third, to provide a device for preventing a trolley from moving off a stationary rail member when the crane is not in alignment with said stationary rail member; fourth, to provide a device for automatically preventing the operation of a. travel motor on a crane when the crane is in alignment with its fiXed rail member; fifth, to provide a device for automatically preventing the operation of a trolley travel motor when a crane is not in alignment with its fixed rail member, thus preventing operation of the trolley or crane when not in a safe operating position; sixth, to provide a crane mechanism having a locking and safety device having manually operated control mechanism located at a plurality of points and operating simultaneously; seventh, to provide a crane mechanism having a plurality of contact members operated by manually operated mechanism; and eight, to provide a crane mechanism provided with a safety cut out switch having a plurality of contacts progressively operated by manually operated mechanism.

1 attain these objects by the mechanism illastrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a crane equipoed with my locking and safety device; 2, an end elevation of a crane equipped with my locking and safety device; Fig. 3, a fragmentary view of a beam together with a portion of the locking and safety device; Fig. 4, a side elevation of the lock and stop members in their assembled positions on rail members; Fig. 5, a plan elevation of the lock and stop members in their assembled positions on rail members; Fig. 6, a schematic diagram of the wiring for installing the lock and safety device; Fig. 7, a sectional view of the electrical safety control switch; and Fig. 8, a sectional view of the safety electrical control switch taken on the line 8-8, Fig. 7

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In Figure 1, the monorail 1 of a crane is disclosed in an aligned position with the fixed monorails 2 and 3 of a building structure designated at 4. The crane is constructed with suitable frame members 5 and 6 which are suitably supported on the rollers or wheels 7 which are adapted to roll on the rails 8 which are in turn supported on the beams 9 which are supported on that portion of fixed monorails 2 and 3 which extend r from the building structure 4.

It is to be noted that the frame members 5 are suitably attached to and support the frame members 10 to which in turn is suitably attached the monorail 1 which is adapted to be aligned with the fixed monorails 2 and 3. An electrically operated crane travel motor is designated at 11 and is suitably supported on the frame members 5 and (3 of the crane.

The crane travel motor 11 is connected in a conventional manner by the gear 12 and the power transmission shaft 13 which are suitably connected by gearing to the rollers or wheels 7 which thus become the driven wheels for the crane unit. An electrically operated hoisting unit 14, comprising trolleying and hoisting motors, is provided with rollers or wheels 15 which are adapted to roll on the lower flanges 16 of the monorail 1.

A look member 1'? is pivotally mounted in the bracket 18 which in turn is fastened to the top of each end of the monorail 1 of the crane. A stop member 19 is pivotally mounted in the bracket 20 which in turn is fastened to the top of each end of the fixed monorails 2 and 3 which extend from the building structure The lock member 17 is fastened to the shaft 21, which has a hearing in the bracket 18 and is of suitable length to support the pulley 22 to which are attached the hand ropes 23 and 24, the hand ropes 23 and 24 thus providing means for operating the lock member 17 in its pivotal movement about the axis of the shaft 21. It is to be noted that the lock member 17 is provided with a pair of lugs 25 which straddle the sides of the monorail 1 and when the lock member 17 is pivotally moved to the position 26, the lock member 17 will lock and retain the monorails 1, 2 and 3 in alignment, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1, the lock member 17 being further provided with a pair of lugs 28, oppositely disposed, about the supporting arm portion of the lock member 17, to the pair of lugs 25.

When the crane is in process of transferring or serving its own bay in a building, the lock member 17 is pivotally moved to the position 26, Fig. 1, by means of the rope 24 and in the position 26, the lock member 17 acts as a stop to prevent the trolley and hoisting unit 14 from running off the monorail 1, the projecting lugs 27, of the trolley and hoisting unit 14, interfering with the pair of lugs 25 on the lock member 17, the projecting lugs 27 being suitably attached to the trolley and hoisting unit 14. The interference of the projecting lugs 27 are clear ly shown in the view disclosed by the dotted lines 99, in Fig. 1, which represents a fragmentary portion of the trolley and hoisting unit 14, together with its rollers or wheels 15, at the end of their outward travel on the monorail 1, when the projecting lugs 27 are in contact with the pair of lugs 25 of the lock member 17 The stop member 19 is provided with double lever portions 29 and 30, the

lever portion 29 terminating in a rounded end which is adapted to be contacted by the surface of the central portion of the lock member 17, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the contact portions of the lock member 17 and the rounded end of the stop member 19 being located approximately between the pair of lugs 25 of the lock member 17.

It is to be noted that the lever portion 30 of the stop member 19 is provided with a pair of lugs 31 which are also adapted to straddle the sides of the fixed monorails 2 and 3. It is to be further noted that the lever portion 30, of the stop member 19, together with its pair of lugs 31 is much heavier than the lever portion 29, the lever portion 30 thus always tending to lift the lever portion 29 to the position as shown by thefull lines of the stop member 19 at the extreme right in Fig. 1, when the pair of lugs 31 are below the top of the fixed monorail 3, this being the normal position of the stop member 19 whenever the crane is so located that its monorail 1 is out of alignment with the fixed monorails 2 and 3, this normal position of the lock member 19 thus safe guarding the monorail beams 2 and 3 and forming a stop against which the trolley and hoisting unit 14 would contact when said trolley and hoisting unit 14 is operating on the monorails 2 and 3 and away from the crane, as indicated by the dotted lines 33 and 88, Fig. 1. It is to be noted that the sto member 19 is in the above mentioned norma position when the lock member 17 is in the position as indicated at 26, Fig. 1. By pulling the rope 23, the operator can move the lock member 17 into the position, as indicated by the full lines, atthe left of Fig. 1, an d by the dotted lines 34 in Figs. 1 and 3, this further permitting the operator to run the trolley and hoisting unit 14 off of the monorail 1 in the event that the monorail 1 was not in alignment with the fixed monorails 2 and 3. It is therefore necessary to provide further cooperative mechanism that will render it impossible to move the trolley and hoisting unit 14 off the ends of the monorail 1 and thus injure either the trolley and hoisting unit 14, the operator, or other parties. Therefore, I have provided a limit or cut out switch 35 which is operated cooperatively with the manually operated =7:

mechanical means for the operation of the lock member 17 and the stop member 19 as above described, the operation of the limit switch 35 automatically cutting ofir the electrical current from the crane motor 11 together with the trolley and hoisting unit 14, in the event of improper alignment or error by the operator, as hereinafter described.

When an operator desires to transfer the trolley and hoist unit 14, together with its load, on to the monorails 2 or 3, the operator will, by means of the crane motor 11 and its ordinary and usual controls (not shown),

move the crane into a position where its TL and lift the pair of lugs 31, as indicated by k l the dotted lines 36 at the right of Fig. 1, by the full lines at the left of Fig. 1, and by the full lines in Fig. 4, the lugs 31 thereby being lifted clear of any possible interference with the trolley and hoist 14, as indicated T1515 by the dotted lines 33, Fig. 1. Also the lugs 25 of the lock member 17, when in the above mentioned position 34, will straddle the ends of both the monorail 1 and the fixed monorails 2 or 3, thus holding them in alignment tion 34, thus causing thestop member 19 to 1'3 operated move to its position 36, the movement of the drum 37, which is suitably fastened to the shaft 21 and to the chain 38, which in turn is suitably fastened to the double end lever 39, causes the shaft 40 to turn in the bearings of the bosses 41 of the housing of the safety cut out switch 35, this in turn causing one set of the contacts 42 and 43 to separate, the contacts 43 moving to the position as indicated by the dotted lines 44, in Figs. 1, 3, and 8, and also in the schematic diagram, Fig. 6. The separation of the set of contacts 42 and 43 thus cuts off the electric current from the crane motor 11. It is to be especialnoted that when the electric current is cut ofi from the crane motor 11 by the separation of the contacts 42 and 43, the lock member 17 is in the position as indicated at 34, thus locking the crane and its monorail 1 in alignment with the fixed monorails 2 and 3, thus further permitting the trolley and hoisting unit 14 to be operated along the crane monorail 1 and the fixed monorails 2 and 3, and at the same time the crane or bridge motor 11 is cut off, thus preventing any movement of the crane transversely to the monorails 2 and 3 and any injury to the lock member 17 or its attached parts.

It is also to be further especially noted that if the ropes 23 are pulled downward when the monorail 1 is not in alignment with any monorails 2 and 3, the lock member will fall below its operating position 34 on the stop member 19, in which position the contacts 43 and 42 are separated, to the position as indicated at 45, Fig. 3, and in moving to this position 45, the lock member 17, through the chain 38, the double end lever 39, and the shaft 40, will move the contacts 46 from a contacting position on the contacts 47 to the open or separated position indicated at 48, Fig. 3, thus cutting off the electric current to the entire crane and trolley hoisting mechanism.

The ability of my invention to accomplish the separation of two sets of contacts is made possible by the design of the safety cut out switch which is necessarily connected to and cooperates with the manually lock and stop member control mechanism. The safety cut out switch is more fully disclosed in Figs. 7 and 8 in which the two levers 49 and 50 are suitably fastened to the shaft so as to rotate therewith. The levers 49 and are each provided with the screw 51 adjust-ably mounted in said lever arms. each of said screws 51 being further provided with the washers 52 and 53 rotatably mounted thereon. The blocks 54 and 55 are each pivotally mounted on the shaft 40, one of said blocks being assembled between one of said lever arms 49 or 50 and the collars 56 which are suitably fastened by the pins 57 to the shaft 40 so as to provide proper operating clearance for the pivotal movement of the blocks 54 and 55. Each of the blocks 54 and 55 are provided with a bushing 58 which provides a bearing on the shaft 40. The blocks 59 and 60 are made of suitable material having non-conductive or insulating characteristics for electric current and are suitably fastened respectively to the blocks 54 and 55. To the tops of the blocks 59 and 60, are fastened the pairs of contact arms 61 and 62 to which are suitably fastened respectively the pairs of contacts 43 and 46. Also each of the pairs of contact arms 61 and 62 are provided with the pairs of terminal screws 63 and 64. The housing of the safety cut out switch 35 is provided with suitable ribs 65 to which are attached the spaced blocks 66. The blocks 67 and 68 are made of suitable material having in sulating or non-conductive characteristics for electric current and are suitably fastened to the spaced blocks 66. The pairs of contacts 42 and 47 are attached to the blocks 67 and 68 by the screws 69, one or both of which may be extended through the blocks 67 or 68 thus providing for the attachment of a cable terminal by means of the nut 70.

The blocks 59 and 60 are each provided with a bell mouthed hole 71 in which is assembled the bushing 72. The adjusting studs 73 and 74 are each provided with an eye for engaging the screws 51, the studs 73 and 7 4 extending through the holes 71 and bushings 72. The nuts 75 are adapted to contact against the bushing 7 2 and the nut 76 is used to locl; the nut 75 after it has been adjusted to its proper position. It is to be understood that the electrical conductor members 77, Figs. 1 and 2 are energized at all times and' are suitably located in the area, to be traversed by the crane mechanism, so that the collectors 78 may properly contact with and collect the current from the conductor mem bers 77, the collectors 78 being suitably mounted on the crane mechanism. As the current is collected from the conductors 77 by the collectors 7 8, it is then conveyed by the cables or circuits 79,80, and 81 to the rigid conductor members 82 on the crane proper, the cables 79. 80, and 81 being shown in the schematic diagram, 6, the cables or circuits 80 and 81 connecting with the contacts 46 and 47 of the safety cut out switch 35, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6. Also the cables or circuits 106 and 83, as shown only in Fig. 6, which connect the controls (not shown) of the bridge motor 11 with the cables or circuits 80 and 81 and thus with the conductor members 77, connect with the contact member 42 and of the safety cut out switch 35. The conductor members 82 being energized through the safety cut out switch 35 and in contact with the collector members 84, the electric current is thus convcyed through controllers (not shown) to the respective hoist and trolley travel motors of the unit 14.

It will be readily understood that the nuts 7 5 and 76 on the adjusting stud 73 can be set so that the movement of the shaft 40, together with the lever 49, the screw 51 will cause the pivotally mounted block 54 together with its arms 61 to start to rotate on the shaft 40, thus causing the contacts 43 to separate from the contacts 42. the contacts 43 assuming the position 44, Fig. 1 whenever the lock member 17 is operated to its position 34. Likewise the nuts 75 and 76 can be located so that there will be sufiicient lost motion between the time of separation of the contacts 42 and 43 and the time of separation of the contacts 46 and 47 due to the movement of the operating shaft 40, the amount of said lost motion being determined by the position of the nut 7 5 above the bushing 72 on the block at the time of the separation of the contacts 42 and 43, said amount of lost motion to be such as will enable the lock member 19 to operate the shaft 40 and take up said lost motion whenever the lock member 19 is caused to assume t 1e position 45, in Fig. 3, by the monorail 1 being out of line with said monorails 2 and 3, thus cutiing off the current to the entire crane and hoisting mechanism.

Therefore whenever the lock member assumes the position 45, it becomes necessary for the operator to manually operate the lock member 17 back into its proper position 34 before the crane or trolley and hoisting mechanism can be operated in any way, thus in- .surin a com lete and satisfactor lockin 2: l9

and safety device.

As there are two separate lock members 17 and stop members 19 on a transfer crane and only one safety cut out switch 35, it is necessary to provide the shaft 85 which is attached to the double end lever 39 and the lever 86 which is pivotally mounted on suitable portions of the framework of the crane. The chain 87 is attached to the lever 86 and the pulley 22. Thus operation of the lock and safety device is provided from either side of the crane.

It is to be understood that the lock member 17 may be operated independently from either side of the crane, that is, the lock mem ber 17, at one end of the crane, may be in the position as indicated at 34, the electrical. connection between the contacts 42 and 43 being thereby broken, while at the other end of the crane, the lock member 17 may be in the position as shown at 45, Fig. 3, the electrical connection between the contacts 46 and 47 being thereby broken.

In Fig. 7, each of the springs 89 is anchored at one of its ends to the collar 56 and at the other of its ends to the boss 41, thus tending to always move the contacts 43 and 46 toward the contacts 42 and 47 and insure positive contact therebetween whenever the control mechanism is adjusted to allow such contact.

The housing of the safety cut out switch may be provided with asuitably attached cover 90 and with suitable means (not shown) for attachment to the framework of the crane.

I claim:

1. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a crane movably mounted, means for electrically operating said crane, a monorail suitably mounted on said crane, hoisting and trolleying mechanism movably mounted on said monorail, means for electrically operatingsaid hoisting and trolleying mechanism, a fixed monorail, a switch comprising contact members for controlling the supply of electrical energy for said first mentioned means, said switch further comprising contact members for controlling the supply of electrical energy to said second mentioned means, and means for locking the monorail on said crane in alignment with said fixed monorail, said last mentioned means being operatively c011- nected with said switch to move the contact members thereof, the operation of said last mentioned means moving the contact members of said switch. to cut out the supply of electrical energy for said first mentioned 168.1153 when the monorail of said crane is in alignment with said fixed monorail, the operati on of said last mentioned means further moving the contact members, of said switch, to cut out the supply of electrical energy for said second mentioned means when the monorail of said crane is out of alignment with said fixed monorail.

2. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a crane movably mounted, hoisting and trolleying mechanism movably mounted on said crane, and a pivotally mounted lever member provided with a pair of lugs extendi o from one side of its lever portion together with a lug extending from the opposite side of its lever portion, the pair of lugs of said lever member being adapted to lock said crane from movement, the lug extending from the opposite side of the lever portion being adapted to prevent said hoisting and trolleying mechanism from moving off of said crane.

3. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of fixed rail members, a crane provided with a rail member for alignment with said fixed rail members, a lock member pivotally mounted on the rail member of said crane, a stop member pivot-ally mounted on said fixed rail members, said lock member engaging said stop member, an electrical switch means operatively connecting said lock member and said switch, and means for manually operating said lock member, said means thereby operating said electrical switch.

4. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a crane movably mounted, electrical means for movably operating said crane, pivotally mounted means for locking said crane against movement, and means for rendering said electrical means inoperative, said mentioned means comprising an electrical switch operatively connected with a revolvably mounted shaft, the revolvably mounted shaft of said last mentioned means being connected with said pivotally mour ed means for locking said crane agai 5. In a transfer mechanism, the com ation of a crane movably mounted, electrical means for movably operating said crane, hoisting and trolleying means movably mounted on said crane, elect cal means for movably operating said hoisting and trolleying mechanism, and a lever member pivotally mounted on said crane, said lever member being provided with a plurality of pairs of extension lugs oppositely disposed about lever portion, said lever member having sufficient pivotal movement to permit its oppositely disposed pairs of extension lugs to engage said crane, said lever member being operatively connected with said first mentioned electrical means.

6. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a fixed rail member, a combined trolley and hoisting mechanism adapted to travel on said fixed rail member, a member pivotally mounted on said fined rail member, said member being positioned to en said combined trolley and hoisting mechanism, an electrical switch controling the operation of th'etransfer mechanism, means for engl fing said member pivotally mounted on sa-d fixed rail members, said means causing said member to be so positioned t not e gage said combined trolley and hoist mechanism, and means for manually operating said first mentioned means, said last mentioned means further operating said electrical switch.

7. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a fixed rail member, stop member pivotally mounted on said fixed rail memher, an electrical switch, and means for pivotally moving said stop member, said means operating said electrical switch 8; In a transfer mechanism, the combina tion of a rail member, a lock member mountlock member pivotally mounted on said rail member, an electrical switch, and means for pivotally moving said lock member, said means operating said electrical switch,

9. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a fixed rail member, a stop member mounted on said fixed rail member, a rail member movably mounted, a lock member mounted on said rail member movably mounted, an electrical switch, and means for operating said lock member to engage said stop member, said means further operating said electrical switch.

10. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a rail member, a stop member mounted on said rail member, an electrical switch, and means for causing said stop member to assume a stop and a non-stop position, said means further operating said electrical switch.

11. In atransfer mechanism, the combination of a trail member, a lock member mounted on said rail member, an electrical switch, and means for operating said lock member to a plurality of locked positions, said means further operating said electrical switch.

12. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a plurality of electrically operated travel units, an electrical switch, a locking member, means for moving said locking member to a plurality of positions, a drum member operatively connected with said locking member, and means connecting said drum member with said electrical switch, the movement of said locking member to a plurality of positions thereby causing said electrical switch to cut out the electric current to one or more of said electrically operated travel units.

13. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a movably mounted rail member, a fixed rail member, combined trolley and hoisting mechanism adapted to travel on said movably mounted rail member and said fixed rail members, an electrical switch for controlling the operation of said combined trolley and hoisting mechanism, and means for locking said movably mounted rail member and said fixed rail member in alignment and for limiting said combined trolley and hoisting mechanism in its travel said means fur ther operating said electrical switch.

14. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a pair of rail members, a member provided with a pair of lugs straddle mounted over one of said rail members a member provided with a pair of lugs for straddle mounting over said pair of rail members, said last mentioned member being adapted to engage said first mentioned member, an electrical switch for controlling the operation of said transfer mechanism, means operatively connecting said electrical switch with said second mentioned member, and manually operable means for operating said last mentioned means, said last mentioned means further operating said electrical switch.

15. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a plurality of electrically operated travel units, an electrical switch for controlling the operation of said electrically operated travel units, a rail member, a lock member on said rail member, said lock member being provided with a lever portion having oppositely disposed lugs for engaging said rail member, and means for operating said lock member, said means further operating said electrical switch.

16. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a plurality of electrically operated travel units, an electrical switch, and pivotally mounted means for locking one of said 1 to its locking position thereby cutting off the electric current to one of said plurality of electrically operated units, said pivotally mounted means being further adapted to be operated to a position to cause said electrical I switch to cut off the electric current to one or more of the remainder of said plurality of electrically operated travel units.

17 In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a plurality of electrically operated travel units, a rail member on one of said plurality of electrically operated travel units,

a fixed rail member, a switch controlling the operation of said plurality of electrically operated travel units, a lock member on said fiXed rail member, and a lock member cooperating with said first mentioned locl: member, said last mentioned lock member being supported on said first mentioned rail member said last mentioned lock member controlling the operation of said switch.

18. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of an electrically operated crane travel unit, an electrically operated trolley and hoist unit on said electrically operated crane travel unit, an electrical control switch, a fixed rail member, means for preventing said electrically operated trolley and hoist unit from moving ofl said electrically operated crane travel unit, means for preventing said electrically operated trolley and hoist unit from moving oil said fixed rail member, manually operable means for moving said first mentioned means to engage said last mentioned means, a lever member suitably mounted on said electrical switch, and a flexible member connecting said lever member and said manually operable means, said manually operable means being thereby adapted to operate said electrical control switch.

19. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of an electrically operated travel unit, an electrical switch controlling said electrically operated travel unit, a plurality of locking members, and means for operating each of said plurality of locking members, each of said plurality of locking members being operatively connected with the remainder of said plurality of locking members, each of said plurality of locking members being further operatively connected with for moving said pivotally mounted member, an electrical switch for cutting oil the electric current to one or both of said pair of electrically operated travel units, said elec-v trical switch being operatively connected with said pivotally mounted member and said manual means.

21. In a crane travel mechanism, the combination of an electrical switch provided with pivotally mounted contact members,

means for pivotall moving said contact members with a partlal revolution of lost motion therebetween, and means for locking said crane mechanism from travel, said last mentioned means operating said first mentioned means.

22. In a crane travel mechanism, the combination of an electrical motor operating said crane, an electrical contact switch, means for locking said crane from travel, a revolvably mounted shaft member connected with said means, a lever member suitably connected with said electrical contact switch, means connecting said revolvably mounted shaft member with said lever member, and manual means connected with said revolvably mounted shaft member, means for operating said first mentioned means, said first mentioned means being adapted to further automatically operate said electrical contact switch to cut out the electric current to said electrical motor, when said first mentioned means is in a position not adapted for locking said crane from travel.

23. In a transfer mechanism, the combination of a crane movably mounted, an electric motor for movably operating said crane, a monorail on said crane, trolleying and hoisting mechanism movably mounted on said monorail, said trolleying and hoisting mechanism being provided within an electric motor for movably operating same, fixed rail members, lockmembers pivotallymounted on said monorail, stop members pivotally mounted on said fixed rail members, said stop members being engaged by said lock members, a plurality of electrical contact members pivotally mounted, means for moving a portion of said electrical contact members to an noncontact position ahead of the remainder of said plurality of electrical contact members, and means for operating said lock members, said last mentioned means operating said first mentioned means.

Detroit, Michigan, June 20, 1930.

HENRY F. MARTIN. 

